With today being the 48th birthday of the Ford Mustang — or at least, the anniversary of the production car being shown at the 1964 World's Fair — it seems reasonable to take a look back. While most will focus on the good, it's also important to learn from an automaker's past mistakes. While the original ponycar is a recognized classic, over a long and varied lifespan it's had its fair share of less-than-classic special editions. With recent talk of the next Mustang, let's give Ford a reminder of what not to do. What's the all-time worst of the plethora of special edition Mustangs?

We imagine most folks will go running to the star-crossed Mustang IIs for their choices, but maybe it's better to take a step back even further. 1973 saw the Grande package on the Mustang's option sheet, which turned the already elephantine fourth-generation Mustang into a clumsy, soft luxury cruiser. A Mustang is not a Thunderbird. Appropriate name, terrible idea. Especially given recent discussions of a Mustang with a Fusion's front end.

Although we're right — let's hear your choices in the comments below.

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